Arthttr lewis cochrajte



Feb. 26 I924. $1,485,167

A. COCHRANE I CLAMP Filed May. 51. 1921 Patented Feb. 26, 1224.

UNETEE STATES ARTHUR LEWIS GOCHRANE, 'OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CLAMP.

Application filed May 31,1921. Serial No. 473,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR LEWIS Coon- RANE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forminga part hereof.

My invention relates to clamps for securing the ends of straps of leather, canvas or other material, ropes, cords and the like, and has for its object to provide a simple, strong and inexpensive device of the type in which a clamping member is pivotally connected to a body member and adapted, when in closed position, to clamp and wedge the strap, rope or cord firmly between it and the body member, and is particularly designed to provide, in a device of this type, means by which the clamping member is yieldingly held in either closed or open position.

With the above described objects and other objects hereinafter explained in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a clamp embodying my invention as it would appear in use.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the clamping member shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 body member of a buckle embodying my invention having a bar parallel with the end bar and having one side cut away to permit the strap to be inserted.

Figure 4 isa detail view'on an enlarged scale of a portion of the body member shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5 modified form of clamp, and Figure 6 is a view of the same but on an enlarged scale,

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of-another modified form of clamp.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a clamp embodying my invention but having the body member resilient.

Figure '9 is a. perspective view of a form of clamp adapted for use with cord or rope. Fi ire 10 is a detail view of the clamping mem ershown in Figure 9.

is a perspective view of the.

is a cross sectional view of a.

V Figure 10 is a detail view onan enlarged scale of a portion of the clamping member shown in Figure 10, and

Figure 11 is a detail view of the body member shown in Figure 9.

In the drawings 1 indicates the body member, shown in Figure 1 as substantially rectangular in shape and of relatively rigid material, having the end 2 suitably shaped and adapted to serve as a jaw toco-operate with the jaw 12 of the clamping member to wedge and retain between them the free end of the strap 3 of leather, canvas or other suitable flexible material, and having its opposite end 1 adapted to receive and have secured to it the other end o-fthe strap 3. This body member-is provided in its sides near the end 4 with openings 5 and 6 to receive the outwardly turned ends? and 8 of the legs 10 and 11 of the clamping member, these ends .7 and 8 serving as pintles turning freely in the openings 5 and 6. The clamping memher is of U shape having legs 10 and 11 connected by a bar 12 which is adapted to serve, as above described, as a jaw to holdthe free end of the strap or other materialbetween it and the jaw 2 of the body member when in. closed position.

On the inner faces of the sides of the body 7 member forward of the openings 5 and 6,

that is towards the jaw end 2, are formed rounded projections which may be termed humps or ridges, 13 and 14, and ontheouter faces of the legs 10 and 11 of the clamping member are formed corresponding rounded projections, humps or ridges 15 and 16,.the relative positions of these rounded projections, humps or ridges 13 and 1 1, and 15 and 16, being such that when the, clampingmember is pressed down into closedposition the projections, humps or ridges15 and 16 on its legs 10 and 11 will pass by the projections, humps orridges 13 and 14 on thebodymember, the legs 10 and 11 being of resilient material and yielding sufficiently to permit of this action. The ends 7 and 8 are of such length that they willretain their engagement with the. openings. 5.- and 6 notwithstanding the inward movement of the legs;10 and 11 just described. As soon a'sthe projections, humps or ridges 15 and 16 have passed by. those marked 13 and 14 the legs 10 and 11 will spring outward and the clamping member will be forced downward against the body member, wedging the material insertedbetween the jaws, and holding the jawsin closed position by the engagement of the projections, humps or ridges as above described, with sufficient force to resist accidental movement of the clamping member.

vVlien it is desired to release the clamp the clamping member will be forcibly swung apward as by force applied to lugs 18 and 19 extending outward from the legs 10 and 11 near the bar 12, beyond the lines of the sides of the body member and serving as con venient finger holds for the fingers of the person using the clamp. In being thus swung upward, the projections, humps or ridges 15 and 16 are forced past the projections, humps or ridges 13 and 14, the legs 10 and 11 yielding inward, and, as soon as the projections, humps or ridges are past each other, springing outward. The clamping member when thus sprung into open position, will be held in suchposition until sufiicient force is applied to swing it downward to cause the legs 10 and 11 to yield to permit the projections, humps or ridges to pass each other as above described. The clamping member is thus yieldingly held in either closed or open position.

Fig. 1O represents a portion of a clamp whose side or leg 31 is provided with a series of projections 32 arranged about the opening 6 as shown, to provide a series of clamping positions.

Instead of securing the end of the strap to the bar. I as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the body member may be provided with a bar 25 parallel with the end bar 4, about which the strap may be passed, as shown in Figure 4. N

If desired to provide for inserting the bight of a strap or cord into the clamp instead of the end, the body member may be cut away on one side as indicated in Figure 4.

In Figures?) and '6 is shown a modified form of the invention in which by twisting the sides of the body member so that their upper edges 13 and 14 project inward beyond the lines of their lower edges, these upper edges being suitably rounded, the same effect is secured as by the projections, humps or ridges, these upper edges presenting obstacles to the passing of the projections 15 and 16 on the clamping member so that the legs 10 and 11 of the clamping member must yield inward to permit this passing. In Figure 7 a further modification is shown the side bars of the body member being here shown as hollowed out at 20 and 21 for the projections 15 and 16. This modified form is particularly adapted for use with the form of clamp shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11.

In Figure 8 is shown a modification in which the clamping member 22 is of sheet material and is provided at its rear end with parallel bars 23 and 24: for the bight of the strap, with a jaw 12 to register with that of the body 2, with projections 18 and 19, overlapping tne sides of the body and to cooperate with the projections 15 and 16 for holding the clamp in its closed position,

and with pivots or pintles 7 and 8, the body member being U shaped as shown. Figures 9, 10 and 11 show a further modification resembling the construction shown in Figure 8 but with legs or sides of the body member free to spring On either side of the clamping member, adapted for use with rope or cord, the clamping member havingat its rear end an eye 26 for receiving the end of the cord or rope.

In all of these modifications it will be understood that substantially the same looking action takes place that is above described with reference to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, by the co-action of projections on the clamping member with corresponding projections on the body memher, the term projections being understood to include rounded projections, humps, ridges or teats or anything offering an obstacle to the passing of a corresponding obstacle on the other member until one or the other member yields inward or outward. In the construction shown in Figures 1 to a inclusive, the clamping member is resilient and yields inward, while in the construction shown in Figures 8 to 10 inclusive, the body member is resilient and yields outward.

It will, of course, be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the precise construction or arrangement of the parts shown, as it is evident that my invention is applicable to other form of clamps than those shown, and I particularly do not desire to be limited to any of the'forms of projections shown. By the term projection as used in the claims I desire to include any of the forms of projections, humps, ridges of the. sides of the body member forward" of the openings adapted to cooperate with the projections on the legs of the clamping member to hold it in closed position.

2. In a clamp comprising a body member of relatively rigid material having openings in its sides and a clamping member having resilient legs having their ends outturned to form pintles extending into and turning freely in said openings, in combination with projections on the outer faces of the legs forward of the outturned ends, and rounded projections on the inner faces of the sides of the body member in the path of movement of the projections on the legs of the clamping member adapted to cooperate With said projections on the legs of the clamping member to hold it in closed position.

In testimony whereof I afilx my signature this 25th day of May, 1921.

ARTHUR LEWIS COCHRAN E. 

